JP2001350598A - Network system, data processor, print output device, method for data processing, and computer-readable storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To add advertisement information, etc., matching the language of a user without requesting the user to do new operation. SOLUTION: When the user makes a choice between Japanese and English as a display language and selects a desired menu at an operation display part 211 of a multifunction printer 104, information on the reception code of a map that the user requires and the display language is sent to a web server 103. The web server 103 once receiving the information regarding the reception code and display language performs retrieval from a database 102 according to the reception code to reads out map data that the user requires, retrieves advertisement data according to the received information regarding the display language, and sends the data to the multifunction printer 104.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a network system, a data processing device, a print output device, a data processing method, and a computer-readable storage medium, and more particularly to a print service provided at a store such as a convenience store. It is suitable.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various services using a computer network have been realized. For example, in a multifunction printer installed in a convenience store or the like, not only a copy service but also an information providing service for obtaining and printing various information from a server on a network or a homepage on the Internet is provided.

In such a network system, a service is provided for automatically forming an image by automatically combining an advertisement of a company or the like with an image or the like for printing on a recording sheet when performing the print output.

On the other hand, users who use a multi-function printer are not limited to Japanese, and some display languages of a user interface can be switched to languages other than Japanese.

[0005]

However, in the case where the display language is selectable as described above, even if a language other than Japanese is set, the advertisement printed out corresponds to Japanese. It was just something. For this reason, the advertisement printed out becomes completely useless information for foreigners who cannot read Japanese.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to be able to add advertisement information and the like in a user's language.

[0007]

A network system according to the present invention provides a user terminal having a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages, and provides predetermined information in response to a request from the user terminal. And a data processing device connected via a network, the additional information storage means for storing additional information, and the additional information according to the selection of the display language performed by the display operation unit of the user terminal, It is characterized in that it comprises a search means for searching for additional information from the information storage means.

Another feature of the network system of the present invention is that the additional information storage means stores the additional information having the same contents created in a plurality of languages.

Another feature of the network system of the present invention resides in that the user terminal is a print output device, and prints out by adding the additional information to the predetermined information.

Another feature of the network system of the present invention is that the data processing device has the search means, and the additional information searched by the search means is stored in the user terminal together with the predetermined information. In that it is transmitted to

Another feature of the network system of the present invention is that the user terminal has the search means and receives the additional information searched by the search means from the data processing device. The point is that it is added to the predetermined information.

Another feature of the network system of the present invention resides in that the additional information is advertisement information.

Another feature of the network system of the present invention resides in that the network system is provided with charging processing means for performing charging processing according to the predetermined information and the additional information.

The data processing apparatus of the present invention has at least two
A data processing device for providing predetermined information in response to a request from a user terminal having a display operation unit capable of selecting a type of display language, wherein the display language performed by the display operation unit of the user terminal A search unit for searching for additional information from an internal or external additional information storage unit in accordance with the selection of; and a transmission unit for transmitting the additional information searched by the search unit to the user terminal together with the predetermined information. It is characterized by

A print output device according to the present invention is a print output device for performing print output of predetermined information acquired from the outside, wherein a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages, and the display operation unit Search means for searching for additional information from an internal or external additional information storage means in accordance with the selection of the display language made in the step (a), and the additional information searched by the search means is added to the predetermined information obtained from the outside. It is characterized in that it is additionally printed out.

Another print output device of the present invention is a print output device capable of transmitting a request signal for predetermined information via a network, comprising a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages. Transmitting means for transmitting information about the display language selected by the display operation unit together with the request signal.

According to the data processing method of the present invention, at least two
A data processing method for providing predetermined information in response to a request from a user terminal having a display operation unit capable of selecting a type of display language, wherein the display language performed by the display operation unit of the user terminal Is characterized in that it has a procedure for searching for additional information from the additional information storage means in accordance with the selection of.

A computer-readable storage medium according to the present invention executes a process of providing predetermined information in response to a request from a user terminal having a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages. A computer-readable storage medium for storing a program, the program executing a process of searching for additional information from an additional information storage unit in accordance with a selection of a display language performed by the display operation unit of the user terminal. Is stored.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a network system according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, a web server 103 connected to a database 102 via a public communication network 101.
And multi-function printers 104 and 105 installed in a store such as a convenience store, and a personal computer (company-side terminal) 106 used in a company as an advertiser.

The web server 103 is connected to the network 10
1, a homepage on the Internet is created and sent to the network 101, and various data received via the network 101 are stored in the database 102.
2 is retrieved and transmitted to the network 101. In the present embodiment, the web server 103 corresponds to the data processing device according to the present invention.

Multifunction printers 104, 1
Reference numeral 05 has a communication function via the network 101, lays out image data received via the network 101, prints out the image data, and sends image data read by a scanner to the network 101.
In the present embodiment, the multifunction printers 104 and 105 correspond to the user terminal and the print output device according to the present invention.

The company terminal 106 is connected to the network 101
, And transfers corporate advertisement data to the web server 103 via the network 101. Although the details will be described later, the advertisement information is created in the same content in a plurality of languages so as to correspond to a plurality of display language settings in the multifunction printers 104 and 105.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a hardware configuration of the multifunction printers 104 and 105.
As shown in FIG. 2, a main bus 201 which is a transmission path of core information and a local bus 202 which is a transmission path of a part of information are connected via a local bus controller 203.

The local bus 202 is connected to a scanner unit 204 for reading a document image and a printing unit 205 for forming an image on recording paper by, for example, an electrophotographic method.

The main bus 201 includes a CPU 206,
ROM 207, RAM 208, modem control unit 210
, Operation display unit 211, HDD controller 213
And the system controller 215 are connected.

The CPU 206 controls the entire multifunction printer. ROM 207 is
This is a non-volatile storage unit that stores programs and the like. RA
M208 is a temporary storage unit for data and programs. The modem control unit 210 performs control for connecting to the public communication line 209.

The operation display unit 211 includes an LCD touch panel provided with a display unit for displaying an operation menu, a status display, a message display, etc. of the multifunction printer, and an operation unit such as operation buttons. In the operation display unit 211, the display language on the display unit can be switched to Japanese or English by operating a display language mode switching button (not shown).

An HDD controller 213 is a hard disk drive (HDD) 212 for storing image data and the like.
Is controlled. System controller 215
Is connected to a frame memory 214 for storing image data expanded for printing, and controls image processing including data processing such as bus control, interrupt control, and compression / decompression.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a hardware configuration of the web server 103 connected to the database 102. Reference numeral 301 denotes a CPU, which controls various components via a bus 306 in order to transmit / receive data, combine data, and the like. Via this bus 306, mutual transfer of address signals, control signals, and various data between various components (devices) is performed.

Reference numeral 302 denotes a ROM, and the CPU 301
(A computer program) is stored. C
When the PU 301 executes this control procedure, it becomes possible to execute processes such as data transfer and data combination. Reference numeral 303 denotes a RAM, which is used as a work memory for transmitting and receiving data, combining data, and the like, and as a temporary storage unit for controlling various components.

In this embodiment, the CPU 30
1, ROM 302, RAM 303, and the like implement the functions of the search means and the like in the present invention.

Reference numeral 304 denotes an external storage device such as a hard disk storage device for storing the database 102. In the present embodiment, the external storage device 304
Thereby, the function of the additional information storage means according to the present invention is realized. Reference numeral 305 denotes a network interface for connecting to the network 101 such as the Internet.

Next, the processing operation in the network system of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The flowchart of FIG. 4 shows a processing operation when a user who has visited a convenience store or the like uses a print service such as information output or copying.

The user selects either Japanese or English as the display language on the operation display unit 211 of the multifunction printer 104 (105), and selects a desired menu (step S40).
1). Here, it is assumed that the display language is switched to English and the map information providing service is selected.

The multifunction printer 104 (1
05) is the web server 1 via the network 101.
03, and transmits the map reception code and the display language information required by the user (step S
402).

When the web server 103 receives the reception code and the information about the display language (step S4)
03), the database 102 is searched according to the reception code, and map data required by the user is read (step S404).

Further, the web server 103 retrieves the advertisement data by searching the database 102. At this time, the web server 103 retrieves the advertisement data according to the received information on the display language (step S405). In this example, since the user has selected English as the display language as described above, the web server 103 searches for the advertisement data created in English.

After the search has been completed as described above, the map data and the advertisement data are
04 (105) (step S406).

The multifunction printer 104 (1
05), when the map data and the advertisement data are received (step S407), as shown in FIG. 5, the map and the advertisement are laid out in a predetermined format (step S408) and printed out. Then (step S409), a series of processing ends.

The charging of the above service will be described.
To request the user to obtain an amount obtained by subtracting an advertisement insertion fee per copy paid by a company as an advertiser from an amount obtained by adding a communication fee to a print output fee of the multifunction printer 104 (105). Become.

In the above embodiment, the web server 103 searches the database 102 to read out the advertisement data and reads the advertisement data (corresponding to the additional information in the present invention) into the map data (the predetermined information in the present invention). (Corresponding to information), but the multifunction printers 104 and 105 may be provided with a database for advertisement data, and search for advertisement data therefrom. In this case, of course, it is not necessary to transmit the information about the display language to the outside (the web server 103). When the multi-function printers 104 and 105 receive the map data, the advertisement data is added to the map data. And print it out.

(Other Embodiments) In order to operate various devices in order to realize the functions of the above-described embodiments, an apparatus connected to the various devices or a computer in a system is used in the above-described embodiments. Supply the software program code to realize the functions of
The present invention also includes those implemented by operating the various devices according to programs stored in a computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus.

In this case, the program code of the software realizes the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and means for supplying the program code to the computer are provided.
For example, a recording medium storing such a program code constitutes the present invention. As a recording medium for storing such a program code, for example, a floppy (registered trademark) disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, C
D-ROM, magnetic tape, nonvolatile memory card, R
OM or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the supplied program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (operating system) or other operating system in which the program code runs on the computer. It goes without saying that such program codes are also included in the embodiments of the present invention when the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized in cooperation with the application software or the like.

Further, after the supplied program code is stored in a memory provided in a function expansion board of the computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or the function expansion unit is specified based on the instruction of the program code. It is needless to say that the present invention also includes a case where the CPU or the like provided for performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

It should be noted that the shapes and structures of the respective parts shown in the above-described embodiments are merely examples of the embodiment for carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is thereby reduced. It should not be interpreted restrictively. That is, the present invention can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit or main features thereof.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, when additional information such as an advertisement is added to predetermined information and printed out or the like, the same language as the language selected in the display operation unit is used as the additional information. Choose the one created by
It can be added to the above setting information. Therefore, additional information suitable for the language of the user is automatically added without requesting a new operation from the user.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a network system according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 shows multifunction printers 104 and 105.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of FIG.

FIG. 3 shows a web server 1 connected to a database 102.
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of No. 03.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a processing operation in the network system.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a print output result.

[Explanation of symbols]

 101 Network 102 Database 103 Web Server 104, 105 Multifunction Printer 201 Main Bus 202 Local Bus 203 Local Bus Controller 204 Scanner 205 Print Unit 206 CPU 207 ROM 208 RAM 209 Public Communication Line 210 Modem Control Unit 211 Operation Display Unit 212 HDD 213 HDD controller 214 Frame memory 215 System controller 301 CPU 302 ROM 303 RAM 304 External storage device 305 Network interface 306 Bus

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A user terminal having a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages and a data processing device for providing predetermined information in response to a request from the user terminal are connected via a network. An additional information storage means for storing additional information, and a search means for searching the additional information storage means for additional information in accordance with a display language selected by the display operation unit of the user terminal. A network system comprising: 2. The network system according to claim 1, wherein said additional information storage means stores the additional information having the same content created in a plurality of languages. 3. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the user terminal is a print output device, and prints out the additional information by adding the additional information to the predetermined information. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the data processing device includes the search unit, and transmits the additional information searched by the search unit to the user terminal together with the predetermined information. The network system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. 5. The user terminal has the search means,
The network system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the additional information retrieved by the retrieval unit is added to the predetermined information received from the data processing device. 6. The network system according to claim 1, wherein the additional information is advertisement information. 7. The network system according to claim 1, further comprising a charging unit for performing a charging process according to the predetermined information and the additional information. 8. A data processing apparatus for providing predetermined information in response to a request from a user terminal having a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages, wherein the display of the user terminal is provided. A search unit for searching for additional information from an internal or external additional information storage unit in accordance with the selection of a display language performed by the operation unit; and the additional information searched by the search unit to the user terminal together with the predetermined information. A data processing device comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits the data. 9. A print output device for performing print output of predetermined information acquired from outside, comprising: a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages; A search unit for searching for additional information from an internal or external additional information storage unit in accordance with the selection, and printing the printout by adding the additional information searched by the search unit to the predetermined information acquired from the outside A print output device, characterized in that: 10. A print output device capable of transmitting a request signal for predetermined information via a network, comprising: a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages; Transmitting means for transmitting information about the displayed language together with the request signal. 11. A data processing method for providing predetermined information in response to a request from a user terminal having a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages, wherein the display of the user terminal is performed. A data processing method comprising a step of retrieving additional information from an additional information storage unit in accordance with a selection of a display language performed by an operation unit. 12. A computer-readable storage for storing a program for executing a process of providing predetermined information in response to a request from a user terminal having a display operation unit capable of selecting at least two types of display languages. A computer, which stores a program for executing a process of searching for additional information from an additional information storage unit in accordance with selection of a display language performed by the display operation unit of the user terminal. A readable storage medium.